Darren McCarty talks Red Wings, and re-lives the brawl of 1997

APThe photo says it all for any Red Wings fan. McCarty. Lemeuix. 1997. The epitomy of Red Wings versus Avalanche.

If you're growing tired of basketball right now (or just searching for content to fill in between the games while CBS does "real news"), I have just the thing for you.

Growing up in this state, it's hard not be a Red Wings fan. The organization has great players, was an Original Six franchise, and has the richest tradition of any American hockey club. We have names like Howe, Yzerman, and Bowman. And when I was growing up, it was Red Wings vs. Avalanche.

At it's height, the battle between these two teams was one of the best rivalries in sports. I was able to visit with Darren McCarty, one of the key players in the rivalry, and talk about some of the greatest moments from his perspective.

Listen to Mac talk about the hit on Kris Draper that really started the bad blood, the Game 7 when Detroit scored seven times against Colorado, how he has spent his days with the Stanley Cup, and what was going through his mind as he looked for Claude Lemeiux during that 1997 brawl:

Also, check out what Darren has to say about coming back from his injury, his time with the Griffins, his thoughts on Justin Abdelkader, and whether or not Chris Osgood will bounce back in time for the playoffs: